Take Me Away
by Cascadenight
Summary: Autumn thought she'd seen it all; loneliness, friendship, and the inside of an interrogation room for a crime she didn't commit. Life started drab and boring, but after graduating, Autumn deals with betrayal and the complications of one-sided love. She quickly finds out that running isn't always the best option.
1. Time and Life

**Uh oh, looks like I've done a revamp for Steven and Autumn. Yes, I have and it's because of the games although that won't come in until way later. I feel that the first time around was meh, so I've changed lots of stuff including the plot some and here we are! Unfortunately, I will be taking down the other stories for these two and they will never see the light of day ever again except when I visit them on my computer.**

 **A change you should be aware of: Autumn and Wallace are now fraternal twins. They seem so much alike in my mind that I wanted them to be the kind that are super close and always together. That being said, I did all my research on this, but if there is something that you have more experience with that I am off about, please let me know!**

 **I think that's about it, enjoy!**

* * *

Mondays suck; it's a pretty well known fact. It's the beginning of the work week after a weekend of either fun or relaxation. From leisure to business at the blink of a fatigued, even hungover, eye. Reality slaps you in the face on a Monday.

For Autumn, it's the start of a new week of lessons. Dancing, swimming, French, piano, and gymnastics. All, except swimming and gymnastics, were her parents' idea.

The fact that she has so many classes irks her a bit. She and her brother are going through the experience of being 'well rounded'. Their parents want them to have skills to use for their future, to take them places.

That always strikes Autumn as being hilarious. For most of her life, her parents have been a bit overprotective of her. Strict curfews, inter-city limits, and she has to check in many times throughout the day. She loves her parents, but it's stifling.

So, in return, when she could sign herself up for classes, she took gymnastics. It freaked her parents out, because they only knew of the horror stories from other parents. Broken bones and ugly bruises covering their children's bodies. Of course, that's a natural part of sports, but it was the only thing they knew of gymnastics.

Autumn was nervous at first, the injuries flashing in her mind. But after a rough few weeks, she got the hang of what she was doing and loved it. Her parents saw it and allowed her to stay on the team, if only to keep her from doing it behind their backs. The choice surprised her. They usually would rush her to the doctor if she so much as coughed.

It was her first taste of freedom, and she got hooked on it.

Since then, she's dreamed of traveling the world and becoming a famous coordinator. Her love of colors, clothes, and pokemon being a blatant telling of this passion. Of course, her parents aren't for letting her go. It's too big of a risk for them...

"Rapunzel!"

Autumn groans, curling up under the covers as her brother knocks a short rhythm on the door. He doesn't even wait for her to respond, he tosses the door open and bounces in. She flinches at each drop of his feet across the carpeted floor making a muffled smacking sound.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, the day awaits," he coos in a gentle voice, a little too sing songy for the morning.

"Go away."

"I can't, Mom asked me to wake you up, so I must!" he exclaims, ripping the blanket away and revealing Autumn to the cold.

"Wallace! Come on, act your age!" she screams, flying out of bed and chasing him down the hall.

He wraps the blanket around him and dives into his room, on his bed. He flips on his back and opens his arms in time to catch Autumn as she leaps at him. The two wrestle it out, Wallace twisting out of her reach as she tries to slap his face. When her anger dies down, the two dissolve into laughter.

"I hate you," she grumbles, collapsing on his chest. "I hate you, and I hate Mondays."

"I love Mondays," he states as if offended by her words. "They bring a new week of mistakes to make."

"Of course, maybe I should think more like you," she snorts, sitting up.

She snatches her blanket back from him and curls up on his lap. He sits up as well, wrapping an arm around her and rocking her back and forth.

Similar in appearance, the two have a hard time telling people they're not identical twins, even though it's not possible. Their mother even gave them non similar sounding names to back up the fact they're not twins. Still, they like to pretend. There are key differences between the two of them that they point out any chance they get. Wallace is sharp and angular, Autumn is soft and prominent. Both are lanky in build, their limbs stretching out before them, aiding in their constant descents into the city.

When they were younger, Autumn would dress up like Wallace, and the two would pull pranks on their parents. Their smiles are identical as well as their eye color. If they put on a hat and walked around, it would be difficult to tell them apart. A closer look would reveal Wallace's blue eyebrows. Where Autumn has blonde hair, he has turquoise. A family trait passed down from his she wouldn't admit it out loud, Wallace is the best. He always knows how to cheer her up or to get her out of an argument with their parents. When she's restricted to the house, he stays, and they play games to pass the time.

Some people in the city say if you see one, the other is sure to be right behind.

"Let's meet up for lunch. We can go to your favorite restaurant," Wallace remarks.

This cheers Autumn up a considerable amount, her face perking up at the news. "I am feeling better already."

"Yeah, yeah, hurry up. You're going to be late, which is going to make me late."

"Then don't steal my blanket!"

 _ **OoOoOoO**_

"Do you have everything in your bag, honey?" Audrey asks from the kitchen table.

The family sits at the table each morning to eat. Their butler, Jeffrey, cooks them their specific meals, and they gather round the table. Sometimes inside, sometimes out. Despite their busy schedules, both Audrey and Liam wanted their children raised properly. Family meals around the table are a must.

"Yes, Mom."

"I'd like you to send me a text after gymnastics."

"Okay."

"Don't forget."

"I won't," Autumn drones, shoveling oatmeal into her mouth. She screws her face up in disgust. "Can't I have pancakes every morning?"

"That's not going to give you the energy you need to stay strong," her mother clucks her tongue at her.

"I'm not going to pass out from eating pancakes," she mutters under her breath.

"Here," Wallace reaches over and sprinkles some nanab berry pieces over her bowl. "It makes it taste so much better."

"I could have done that," Autumn retorts. Sometimes her brother dotes on her too much.

"Then you should have."

"Is everyone against me this morning?"

"I haven't had the chance yet," Liam pipes up from his spot at the end of the table, he gives her a wink when she glares at him.

"Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I'm my own boss, sweetie. I can go in at any time."

"When can I be my own boss?"

"When you're living on your own. Now eat," Audrey butts in, jabbing her finger at Autumn's bowl.

"Wait, you'll let me live on my own? I'll eat to that!" Autumn gasps in disbelief before downing the oatmeal. Wallace's little addition definitely helped, saving her from having to feed Mightyena under the table. "Okay, I'm done. See you guys later!"

"Wait up!" Wallace calls, using his spoon as a shovel for his own oatmeal.

Autumn slips on her chucks and pats Mightyena on the head. The family pokemon regards her with affection, licking her hand and nuzzling around her legs. One day, she plans to travel with him. Wallace had caught a Poochyena for her days after his trainer certification. Though by that time she had a best friend, a Ralts that never left her side while the family was on the mainland of Hoenn. She loves Mightyena, but since she isn't certified yet, she can't keep him on her at all times; she's only allowed one pokemon on her person.

"Hurry up!" Autumn calls as Wallace grabs his bag and sunglasses.

Both wave goodbye to Mightyena as they exit the front door. The two trot down the steps and the path to the front gate. Once there, Autumn stops and takes a look at the massive city of Sootopolis laid out before them. Sure, their house is pretty high, but there are other higher ones. But this view, the view of the gaping city staring back at her, is her favorite. It's at the right angle where the arms of the crater glide into the sea. Leaving an opening where boats and ferries sail into harbor.

"Every morning? I thought you were sick of this place," Wallace snickers, nudging her with an elbow.

Autumn re-adjusts her dance bag and sticks her tongue out at her brother. "I'm sick of having to be stuck here, at least you can leave. I love Sootopolis. I just wanna explore other places."

"You'll get to leave, too," he assures her, kicking out a leg and skipping down the steps. "You'll have your chance."

"It's just not coming fast enough."

Sootopolis is a beautiful city. All of the houses are a customary white with blue roofs. Built inside of a crater, each building is set along the natural tiered rows of rock and along the arms of the crater to a certain extent. The downside to its massive size? The amount of climbing to do. Autumn can't wait to be rid of it. It may keep her in shape, but it's terrible at the end of the day when she just wants to eat and sleep.

"Still thinking of applying to that school?" Wallace continues, his pace slowing to a casual one.

"Yep. I've got my application underway. I just need Juan's recommendation, and I'm in."

"Are they still 'thinking' about it?" he raises a brow. It's common knowledge that when their parents say they're thinking about something that there is a big chance it's not going to happen.

Autumn lets out a frustrated sigh, "Yes. I hate it."

"That's a strong word," he gasps, mocking an offense.

"Anyways, it's Rustboro. It's a nice place to be, it's not as big as Sootopolis, and it's got Devon. You know Dad is a fan of other businesses," Autumn reasons as they head downtown.

"You're thinking they'll agree just because of some futuristic tech company?" Wallace shoots her a skeptical look.

"Not completely," she retorts with a glare. "I'm just saying, it's a nice city with good demographics. They'll at least be happy that I chose there and not Fallarbor or Lavaridge."

"There's nothing wrong with those places."

"One's out in the middle of nowhere and the other is full of pyromaniacs."

Wallace doesn't respond, knowing it's true. Not that they're terrible places to live, but he can imagine the heart attack his parents would have if Autumn decided to move there. He can just hear the screaming now...

"Anyways, I have to head off to dance. Have fun battling!" Autumn gives her brother a quick hug before dashing off to class.

During the rest of the week, Autumn isn't so keen on getting up for dance. Ms. Devereaux's class isn't the most enjoyable, but she's a great teacher. It's just the students are terrible. Stuck up snobs with a hand in their parent's bank account.

To get through the class on Mondays, Autumn takes that time at the gate to observe Sootopolis. She does love this city and its openness. It thrives on sunlight, and everyone is out on sunny days like today, whether it's to go for a run, swim, or fish. Most people head to the little space outside the Cave of Origin to pray and give thanks for these days.

Sometimes, she imagines other cities in other regions being like this. Bright, positive, and vast. Her heart pounds at the thought of it.

"Ah, hello, Autumn!" Madame Devereaux greets from the front of the class as Autumn shuffles in.

"Hello, Madame," Autumn replies with a smile.

Most of the other girls are already changed and ready to go. None of them pay Autumn any mind as she strips off her tank top and pulls up her dance shorts a bit. Pushing her bag under the bench, Autumn pulls on her dance slippers and takes her spot at the bar.

For the next hour, her thoughts focus on what she is doing. Her body twisting this way and that, following Devereaux as she shows technique. For being an older woman, Autumn is always amazed how at ease she is when moving around. Whether it's on pointe or high kicks in heels, Devereaux doesn't break from her professional demeanor.

As much as she complains, Autumn loves the burn of working out. She loves to feel the ache in her muscles after a long day of dancing, vaulting, or swimming.

It's even more satisfying when Jeffery makes a heaping plate of food for her.

"We'll see you later, Autumn!" a few of the girls wave on their way out, their fake laughs and smiles off-setting their polite farewell.

"Yeah, sure," she calls after them in a sour tone. Everyday they leave like that, as if they were going to meet up later for some lunch of something. She just shakes her head and heads out of the building, her head held straight and a look of concentration on her face.

After dance, she walks down a few more buildings to the gym where gymnastics is. There's a thirty-minute break in between where Autumn heads to a local cafe for a protein shake. Sometimes she and Wallace meet up and sit on a nearby precipice that overlooks the entrance to the Cave of Origins.

Today, though, her brother is either surfing or scuba diving. He didn't want to take classes that held him inside and so, their parents allowed him to pick whatever he wanted. Of course, he asked Juan for some lessons on the basics of being a trainer and such as well.

He wants to start his journey soon. After getting his trainer certification he's been itching to go, even more so than he is now. Juan, the city's gym leader, has taken him under his wing, teaching him techniques and all that he knows about battling. He hopes to pass the gym along to Wallace at some point. He wishes to see the world again and to experience its beauty before returning to his gym duties.

Autumn thinks her brother would be great as a gym leader. He loves to boss people around and do paperwork. Hell, he'd even be a good champion.

She's only seen him battle a few times. He's also had practice battles with Juan at the gym, and she supposes he's good. His Lombre is quick on his feet and always ready for the next attack.

Autumn sucks down the shake outside the gym. She follows the amount of teens hanging out around the place. Downtown Sootopolis is the place to be: movie theater, the mall, cafes, and restaurants galore.

With a sigh, Autumn drops the empty container into the recycling bin before heading into the gym.

The sounds of grunting and the smacking of limbs on the ground greet her. Her team waves her over, their faces set in fake smiles and greetings as she saunters up to them. Since the one time her brother had to pick her up, Autumn became popular amongst them. They knew her name, asked how she was doing and offered to hang out with her.

But she could see through their friendliness, and still turns them down every time.

 **OoOoOoO**

 _Hi, Mom. I'm done with gymnastics and heading to lunch. Wallace will be with me._

Autumn slides her 'nav into her pocket and begins descending the next flight of stairs. People pass her by as she heads towards the MooMoo Creamery, her favorite ice cream place in town. Next door, Aria's Corner, is Autumn's favorite restaurant. She and Wallace go there almost every day.

Their fries are to die for, tossed with some salt and topped off with a thin layer of cheese. Each fry comes away with a layer of gooey cheesy goodness. And they come in a large basket along with your burger, or just by themselves. She and her brother get an order to share and one to go for later on.

Mondays and Wednesdays are the days Wallace and Autumn meet up for lunch and go shopping before heading home for their final lesson. They take their time eating their meals before paying and heading deeper into the city. This is the routine they've always had, and even though Autumn wants to leave, she's going to miss it, miss the familiarity of Sootopolis and of her brother being at her side.

She just needs to get her foot out of the door and onto her path.

 _ **OoOoOoO**_

"I don't think I can go on like this," Autumn groans.

She stomps her foot at the top step of the second to last flight of stairs to their house. The sun is lowering in the sky, almost disappearing behind the peaks of the crater. Despite feeling just fine, she likes to complain about climbing so many stairs.

"You're fine," Wallace smirks.

Their front gate is already open as they approach. The front lawn is small and circular due to lying on a small base next to a rising cliff. A small fountain sits in the middle of the lawn. Spurting water in the middle is a statue, a shining white one in the form of a Milotic twisting around a Kingdra spurting water from its spout.

Tropical trees and other foliage line the area around the house. They hide the mounds of rock rising into the rest of the bluffs. Above them are a line of more houses along a cobblestoned pathway. She and Wallace have never been to the absolute top. Few people do because it is unstable and can cause rocks to fall on the houses lining the upper ring. Though some families have taken to living on the outer shell of Sootopolis. It's not a popular choice, but it does provide some hospitality.

"Welcome home," Jeffrey greets the two, accepting their bags. "Food is almost ready. Get changed, and we will start music lessons soon enough."

"Thanks, Jeffrey."

They do as told. Changing into comfier and cooler clothes, the two wrestle and shove each other on the way to the kitchen. After a quick snack, Wallace and Autumn take their seats at the piano to practice. It's their favorite part of the day.

Jeffrey is their music instructor. He circles them, drilling them and offering help. This is the time the two spend together relaxing during lessons and have fun.

By the time they've finished, dinner is ready and their parents have returned to hear about their day.

"Hey, when are you going to talk to Mom and Dad about school?" Wallace questions as he lays beside his sister on her bed.

Staring up at her ceiling, Autumn curls her backside into her brother and exhales. "I'm not sure. I've got most of the application done, it's not due for another two weeks. I was thinking of sending it in and waiting to see if I got in to tell them. That way they couldn't back out, who wants to pay money to retract my admittance? Besides, I'm doing what they want, broadening my horizons."

Wallace smirks at her words, reaching over to pinch her side, he earns a squeal. "Your planning is flawless, sis."

"What? At least you get to just leave."

"When would you leave?" he interrupts her argument.

"Sometime in September. Class starts the tenth. I'd have to be there at least two days before to familiarize myself with the area," she explains. "I've saved up enough money to get through a year there before I leave."

"Only doing a year?"

"That's all I need."

The education system is pretty flexible. If an eligible trainer shows they're capable of taking care of themselves, they're awarded enough credits to graduate within a year. Of course, schooling isn't required to get a trainer license. It's just helpful. Not only that, if she wanted to become a gym leader, she'd just have to take finishing classes. One less step for her in the long run...if she were going to go that way of course.

"Juan's taught me a lot. I just need to learn how to take care of myself. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't know anything about traveling or even talking with people."

Being stuck alone in the house, or out with no friends but your brother and sister, has taken its effect. Autumn's social skills aren't refined enough for her to become the elegant coordinator she wants to be. She's going to need classes on how to speak in public and how to perform in public. Performing for two people is different than televised contests.

"You'll do fine. The whole world's gonna know how awesome you are," Wallace tickles her sides more.

"Stop it! I'm not four!" she squeaks, pushing his hands away. "I'm not going to miss this."

"Yes you will," he coos, blowing raspberries on her face. "Your big brother will visit you every chance he gets. I've gotta fight of the boys trying to get into your pants."

"Hmmm, but what if they're cute, eh, 'big' brother?" she teases. Wallace likes to believe he's her older brother, despite the fact that their birth times are barely minutes apart. She rolls away from him as he rolls his eyes, shaking his head in dismay at her. "Anyways, it's all tentative. Mom and Dad have to agree first."

Wallace winks at her, sitting up to go. "Don't worry, I've got your back."

"Thanks, Wally," she cooes back this time, making kissy faces at him. "You're the best."

"I know, I know. Out of the three of us, one of us has to be."

"Camille would give you some rare disease if she knew you said that."

"Good thing she's in Unova then, huh?"

Autumn rolls her eyes and flops back onto her bed, "Whatever. I need sleep before tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Night. Love you."

"Love you, too."

As the door clicks shut, Autumn rolls over on her bed and stares at her nightstand. Within the first drawer is her application to school. She's excited for school. Sure, if you skip schooling and leave right away, you're cooler. Her brother is doing that, but he's getting lessons from Juan. Some of his friends are heading out with him and they had hired tutors.

Other kids, ones that can't afford it, teach themselves before setting off. They make it just fine, most become renowned trainers, coordinators too.

Autumn wants to gain the experience of being around different kinds of people, and this is her opportunity. She needs to get used to going from solitude to companionship. Whether it be friends or people to just talk to during contests.

The thought of making friends dries her throat. Would people even like her? What is there to like?

She's been stuck in Sootopolis for so long, she's not sure she even has a personality to like. It's always been Wallace at her side. No one else has taken the time to hang out with her.

Narrowing her burning eyes, Autumn flips back over and shuts her eyes. If she doesn't make friends, fine. She doesn't need friends if she's going to be leaving after graduation anyway.

It'd just be nice to find someone who understands.


	2. Shoot for the Stars

**This chapter is a lot shorter, kind of a transition chapter to the next one. So Autumn's parents are a little clingy, they don't want their daughter living so far away from them without them or her brother there to watch over her. She has her reasons for going to school and for wanting to leave Hoenn, though that reason may change later on. I did an attempt at putting in some French as Juan does speak it. It's not much and probably will be the most out of this whole thing. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Hmm... ' _What classes do you intend to take?'_ ," Autumn murmurs, drumming her fingers on her knee.

Sitting pretzel style on her bed, Autumn stares at the application forming a neat pile in front of her. Mightyena is curled around her smaller body, napping and keeping her warm with his thick fur. She smooths his head in a soft rhythmic motion while reading through her application again and again.

It's been filled out for weeks; she's gathered the application fee, statements from teachers on her other skills, and her letter of recommendation from Juan. It came with her brother yesterday in an envelope with his name scrawled along the front in elegant handwriting. She's not too worried about it. Wallace said to be wary of it considering it was sealed with wax to prevent her from glancing at it. Juan has known them for at least four years now, but not long enough to know the mistakes she made when she was younger.

It can't be that bad.

Then again, it could be about her ability to communicate with others. Outside the house, she's a bit awkward and short with people. Social cues are harder to read than she thought, and she isn't sure how to keep a conversation going with someone other than her family members. Wallace's friends don't talk to her aside from a mandatory 'hello' and 'goodbye'.

That could bring her down.

"Well, my experience with pokemon should bring it up. Right, boy?" she cooes at the wolf pokemon.

He pops an eye open and glances at her, his tail props up at the attention, flailing side to side. She giggles and ruffles his hair, making his tail hit the bed harder. With a bark, he rolls onto his back, giving her access to his soft tummy. Now laughing, Autumn rubs his belly, hitting the sweet spots.

"Aww, I'm gonna miss you," she pats his stomach twice before draping herself on him.

The dark colored pokemon settles down and twists his head to glance at her, his tongue lolled out to the side. At her words, he whines a bit and pushes his head forward to bop her forehead with his wet nose. She laughs and hugs him.

"I just gotta get out of here and find myself," she explains to him as if he had demanded an answer. He twists back onto his belly and tilts his head at her, she scratches behind his ear, perking up. "I'll be back and you can come with me. How about that?"

He barks and licks her face. She grimaces, pushing his muzzle away.

"Autumn! Honey, you're going to be late for class!" Audrey calls up the steps.

"Crap!" Autumn gasps and scrambles to grab the papers before her mother can enter her room. She almost hits the ground, but manages to stash away the application in her drawer and grab her swim bag. "I'm coming! Come on, Mightyena."

"Hi, honey," Audrey greets her daughter right outside her bedroom door, looking a bit surprised at her sudden appearance. "Wallace is outside waiting for you."

"Oh, okay," Autumn breathes, reaching up to kiss her mom on the cheek. "I'll see you later then."

"Wait," her mother touches her shoulder. "How's your application coming along?"

"Really well, I have to fill out a small sheet on my personal goals and then I'm done," she answers with a proud grin.

"Your father and I are proud of you for doing this all by yourself, you know," Audrey speaks with a smile of her own. "We're still talking about you leaving."

"Right," Autumn drags out the word before checking her watch. "I'm gonna be more late, Mom."

"All right," her mother raises her hands, waving at them. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom," Autumn returns the embrace, and then laughs when Mightyena pushes himself in between them. "I'll see you later, bye!"

Autumn rushes down the stairs, racing against Mightyena, and leaps out the front door. Wallace is on the first step, hunched over his bag as he packs in some food for later. She bops his head while stepping by. He zips up his bag to catch up with her.

In Sootopolis, swimming is a required class until a certain level. There used to be so many drownings and accidents within the city that the law had to change. As soon as a child was able to, they learned to swim.

Autumn loves swimming. She loves the ocean and its vast beauty. Though at this point, it's within the gym and doing some laps down the pool and back. It's relaxing, and keeps her mind focused, so the class doesn't bug her.

The sun blazes in the sky with little clouds to protect her from its harsh gaze. Humidity is a common phenomenon that never ceases to make her sweat even more. Wallace wipes the sweat off his forehead and trudges along beside her.

At the bottom of the stairs, Autumn stands at the edge of the reservoir separating the city from its gym. The waters gleam as crystal clear waves lap at the surface in a gentle, welcoming rhythm.

Pulling out a pokeball, Autumn lets out her Kirlia. "Can you teleport us to the gym?"

"Kirlia!"

In a quick flash, they're standing in front of the gym entrance.

The door bears the emblem of the Rain Badge, the design cut in the middle of the doorway. Made of glass, it glows according to the light shining through it. With the sun high in the sky, it is a light blue.

The two push the doors open and trudge inside. Large in size, the gym has a retractable ceiling and a deep pool filled with pillars. Since Juan has been in charge, he often invites his fans in for a show of his pokemon. But today, the gym is empty save for her brother and the gym leader.

Juan is a dear friend of the family. He's been their instructor ever since they were little. Not only is he skilled in battling, but in contests as well, and he's been tutoring Autumn and her Kirlia for a while now. He also encouraged her to apply to the school in Rustboro to further her theoretical knowledge, a choice she is taking to heart.

"Hello?" she calls into the gym.

The ceiling is open, letting in abundant sunlight to brighten the pool. Random pokemon of Juan's sit on the pillars, basking in the light and squirting water at each other on occasion. Sitting in a rather elegant chair is Juan in his usual attire: black tights, purple pants, and a black shirt with a blue jeweled cravat. He sips at his tea turning the pages to a thick book on a small table in front of him.

"Hello, Juan," Autumn greets with a grin, setting aside her bag.

"Hello, you two. Prêt pour commencer?"

"Oui!"

 _ **OoOoOoO**_

"Of course."

Autumn groans as Juan picks apart her appeal. She did excellent, just the obvious mistakes of making it too large and too forced. It's her nerves over her application, it keeps popping into her head throughout lessons.

Work in the pool may have helped her clear her head, but once out of the pool, her mind went straight back to her application. Juan teaches them while speaking French, and she's been doing _that_ just fine. But her appeals are lacking.

Despite sounding harsh, Juan is looking out for her. He is aware that Autumn will be going to school soon, he has no doubt that she'll get in, and wants her to be ready. The faster she picks it up, the better she'll do in class and in the actual setting.

Owning only a Kirlia, he does simple lessons for her. Sometimes he allows her to borrow one of his own pokemon, knowing that she and her brother have interests in water types.

"You did excellent, you will be fine," Juan assures her with a confident smile.

"Thanks," she smiles back as he approaches her side of the field.

Being late afternoon, they'll be heading back for lessons with Jeffrey and then dinner with their parents. Wallace clutches his rumbling stomach, having eaten all the snacks during French and Autumn's practice appeal. Their mentor compliments each on their work before seeing them out the door.

The gym sits on an island, in the center of the large lake with no pathways to the mainland. Juan's pokemon construct an ice bridge whenever he has a show coming up, other than that, Pokemon carry trainers out to the island. Autumn twists around and stares up towards the level where the big tree stands.

It's the best view of the tree sitting in the center of Sootopolis. It's said that it came from a towering giant from the far away region of Kalos. She's not sure about the towering giant part, he was a king or something. So maybe that's what the legend means, he had giant power, he couldn't have been a giant.

She loves that tree, it holds some sort of ancient power in it. It seems to always pulse whenever she visits it. Then again, it could be because the Cave of Origin is nearby. _That_ is even more ancient and mystical.

Many tourists from the mainland come here just to see the entrance. No one is allowed in, and people born in Sootopolis definitely can't enter. She doesn't understand the reasoning, but it's well known that it's forbidden. As a child, she used to run by the entrance with her brother, both trying to see who can get closest without overstepping the known boundary just feet from the entrance. Then an Elder would find them and bring them home to be punished by their parents for being disrespectful on sacred property.

"Are you sure you're ready to leave?" Wallace tugs on his sister's braid.

She glances up at him, his eyes are fixed on the tree as well. The look in his eyes mirrors the same one she wears when she looks at the tree, or the peaks of the crater behind it. A longing to see the world, even if it's within the same region. To experience life and adventure. They both want it, she doesn't need to confirmation to know that it's true.

"Are you?" she returns the same gesture, reaching up to tug on his much shorter hair.

He laughs, his face lifting to the sky as he does so, and she watches him with a half smile. Sometimes, Wallace is sixteen, and other times, he's older than that. When she was little, she just thought it was him repeating the adults' words. But no. Wallace has always been wise. She wishes she could be, but then she'd have no need for him, and she doesn't like the thought of that.

"Touche. I guess we'll never know until we're gone," he tears his gaze away from the skies to grin at her. "And by then, it could be too late."


	3. One Step Closer

' _Congratulations!_ '

Autumn stares at the paper with wide eyes. The words she had been both dreading and excited for gleam back at her. Their curving lines unaware of how much her life has changed by the meager decision to let her attend school. Funny how fate has a way of tossing things into her face.

She got the mail past Jeffrey's all seeing eyes and snuck back into her room. It's Saturday afternoon, no classes, no parents, just her and Wallace in the house. Camille will be calling later, but now Autumn wants to call her first to discuss the new development.

"I can't believe I got in, what idiots..." she mutters under her breath. "But I got in! Now all that's left are Mom and Dad."

"What is it?" he peeks his head in. His hair, ruffled and in full "bed head" mode, falls down to his ears. He's been thinking of growing it out, but he's not sure to what length yet. Autumn told him to, because then _he_ can be Rapunzel.

Autumn frowns at him, "I didn't call you."

"No, but I sensed you were having trouble with my 'twinning' powers," he wiggles his fingers while standing in the doorway. "That, and when you mutter to yourself, I know you're struggling with something."

Ignoring his quip about 'twinning' powers, she twists the paper around to show him. "Those idiots let me in."

He perks up at the news and rushes in. She yelps as he tackles her on the bed and wraps his arms around her tight. "I'm so proud of you! Getting into a well known school all on your own!"

"Wallace," she grumbles, trying to push him off but he's too heavy. "Ugh, this is a problem now."

"Why? Isn't this what you wanted?" he loosens his grip and sits them back up. Lombre has wandered in from his room and looks at the two sitting on the bed with hesitance. "Come on in, buddy."

The pokemon smiles, giving a small cry of glee before running up to the bed and clambering onto it. He takes his normal spot in Wallace's lap, smiling up at Autumn as if he knew about the good news too. She pats his soft head and whistles for Kirlia and Mightyena to join them.

"Well, yeah, but I didn't think I'd get this far," she admits. A bark sounds from the hallway and in comes Mightyena, galloping as Kirlia sits on his back. He leaps onto the bed, curling around the two as Kirlia mirrors Lombre's position on Autumn's lap. "I didn't expect that they'd let me in."

"This is good! I think they're going to be proud of you. Now they have to let you go," he explains as if it wasn't a big deal.

Autumn's face grows red and she lets out a loud groan. "Never mind, I'm not going. This is too much work."

"Autumn, no."

She stops at his serious tone. He's giving her a sharp look, his eyes burning and his face set in a frown. "This is something you should do. Why do you think I said I'd be on your side?"

"I know, but now... It's a real possibility. Leaving. And I'm worried," she admits. Kirlia reaches up to pat her trainer's cheek, Autumn glances down at her pokemon. The psychic type gives her a confident smile. "It's just, what if I don't make friends? What if no one likes me?"

"Awww, Fall. It's gonna be okay!" Wallace leans over and pulls her into a hug. He kisses the top of her head and hushes her. "You're going to make tons of friends."

"You're just saying that because you're my brother," she mutters into his shoulder. "I don't know how to make friends. I don't have any here, and I'm not exactly out and about on a regular basis."

His grip on her tightens. "Autumn, you'll make friends. You're smart; you'll be able to interact with other humans. It's possible. If you need me to, I can stay there for a while with you and-"

"No!" she sits up and glares at him. "You can stay the first day, but after that… no. I need to get away from you too! It's always Autumn and Wallace, or Wallace and Autumn. I need to be my own person now."

He knew she would say that, he just didn't expect it to hurt as much as it does. Autumn sees the look in his eyes dim, and she takes his hands in hers. "Brother, I love you and all. But you can't expect us to be always attached at the hip forever."

"I know, I just didn't expect you to be leaving so soon," he sighs, accepting her grip in his. "You won't go far will you?"

"Uh, maybe?" she narrows her eyes, considering the idea now that it's more than a dream. "I'm not going to do one round of contests here and call it good. I wanna travel all over!"

"But you'll visit, right?" he looks a bit panicked.

She laughs, squeezing his hands. "Of course! I can't be too far from my brother!"

The two snicker and giggle, falling onto each other in a mess of pokemon sitting on them. They spend a few minutes staring at the ceiling in silence. Each knowing that this is the moment they're going to look back on and realize it's the time that changed their lives. Autumn curls into her brother's side, she's gonna miss him no doubt.

"I'm going to tell Camille first," she informs him. "She'll be so happy."

"I'll come with," he slides out of bed.

The two make their way down to the foyer and to the grand room where the video phone sits in the corner. They pull up two chairs and Autumn dials her sister's number by heart. Clutching the acceptance letter in hand, she prays that it's not too late over in Unova.

Being much older than the other two, Camille hasn't been around since she got married and decided to study medicine. She lives in Unova with William, her husband, and her daughter, Lisia. The two adore their niece and send her gifts every chance they get. When they come and visit, Lisia is always with Autumn and Wallace. She spends time learning about contests from Autumn and learning the secrets of fashion from Wallace.

It's been awhile since they've talked. Unova has a bigger difference in time that makes it difficult to coordinate calls.

"Hello?" Camille's voice comes through the video phone.

"Cami!" the two siblings cry out.

"Hey, guys! What's up?" she beams at the two. "Jeez, you guys look so much older than last time I saw you. Makes me feel old."

"You're not too old now," Autumn grins at her sister.

Ever since she was little, she thought her sister to be beautiful, more worthy of the name Rapunzel than her own plain looks. Freckles coat Camille's face, starting from beneath her eyes and cascading downward. She used to try and hide them as she has the most out of the three children. And her hair, so beautiful, falls in golden waves past her shoulders. Autumn has grown out her hair to try and get it like her sister's. Though her daily activities have made it clear that it's either tied up or cut at an awkward medium length.

Despite being an adult, the oldest sibling doesn't have too tough of a time relating to her younger siblings. Sometimes, she can act like a parent and not a sister. It can get on their nerves, but Autumn and Wallace manage to be understanding. They're close, and know that Camille is always willing to talk.

"Let's not get into ages now," Camille grimaces, turning 34 hasn't been the best thing on her plate. "I was going to call you later. What's up?"

"Autumn's got wonderful news for you!"

"Wally, shut up!" she jabs at him, nudging him aside to have the full screen. Holding up the acceptance letter, Autumn smiles with excitement. "I got accepted into Rustboro's Trainer Academy!"

"Isn't that an elementary school?"

"Cami! It's the other one!"

"Oh...oh! That's wonderful! Congratulations!"

"She did it all by herself," Wallace perks up, peeking in on the side of the camera to give her a wink.

"Uh oh. How are the parents handling that?" Camille frowns.

"They're thinking about it," she rolls her eyes and sighs. "I also didn't think that I'd get in."

Camille smiles. She understands Autumn's frustration. Despite Audrey's efforts to make sure the neighbors knew they weren't identical, it didn't stop her from treating them as rivals. Thankfully, neither of them took those roles seriously. They were lumped together for most of their life and now they want to separate and their parents can't keep up. They've only just started to realize Autumn's dreams are no longer dreams, now they're goals.

It's going to be a rough road, but it's better that Autumn is paving the way and not their parents.

"I think they'll say yes," she starts out, interrupting whatever argument happening between the other two. Autumn turns to her, attentive as she is, and listens. "They're going to try and get you stay. Just stay confident and keep them in the loop from here on out."

"I will, now I just have to tell them I got in" Autumn moves to the right side of the screen as Wallace settles on the other side.

"Tell them at dinner. Tell them that you thought they'd keep you from your dreams. I know how suffocating it can be for you," Camille considers her words and continues on. "That's another thing about people, Autumn. Sometimes the truth is the best way to go. Even though some people don't like hearing the truth, it just has to be heard sometimes."

"I'm not that clueless about people," Autumn pouts in return. "I know the basics."

"You know the basics of interacting with people on an impersonal level," Camille clarifies with a knowing smile. "I've seen the way you talk to other kids your age..."

"Okay, but the kids here are brats!" she defends herself immediately. "I can't help that they think they're better than everyone based on how much money they have."

"You can't, I agree. That's okay, just don't sass the kids at school. They're going to assume the same about you," Camille laughs. "Just be yourself."

 _I don't know who that is._

"I'll try," she promises.

The siblings move on from there. Turning the conversation to other topics. Lisia and school, Will and work, Camille and work. Neither have been to Unova, but they would love to visit sometime. Camille and her family live in Nimbasa City. Autumn's heard about the theme park there. It's small, but they're planning on building it up in the upcoming years. When it's done, she wants to go and spend the entire day there.

Not only that, but she wants to catch some of the pokemon there as well. They're strange and really different than the ones she's seen around Hoenn. They don't do contests out there, but it's a vast region, she'd find something to do easily.

"Is Lis around?" Wallace questions, glancing around the screen.

"No, she's out with friends right now," Camille smiles. "She's going to be angry with me for talking to you and not letting her know. I'll have her call tomorrow. By the way, I have a quick question."

"Yeah?"

"What should her first pokemon be? I want it to be a Hoenn pokemon, she's desperate to be there with her aunt and uncle, you know."

"What can I say? I'm the best uncle around," Wallace smooths his hair with a satisfied grin.

Autumn rolls her eyes and nudges him aside. "Does she want one now?"

"No, I'm actually worried about her," the oldest sister confesses. The other two lean in closer, their brows furrowed and faces scrunched. It's not often that Cami worries about her daughter. "She doesn't know what she wants to do. I fear that she's going be stuck wandering around for a while. I have her in lessons right now, but nothing seems to be sticking."

"She doesn't like the lessons?" Autumn tilts her head.

"No, she does. It's just... she's not skilled at much right now," Camille looks guilty and admitting that fact. "She's good at art and loves to write. But anything else, cooking, dancing, even swimming, she's not the best. You'd think my genes would come through, but it seems as though Will's have stayed strong."

"Ooh," Wallace squints, rubbing his chin. "I think you should let her just relax a bit more before getting a pokemon. Lessons get extra competitive once someone obtains a pokemon. The other kids feel as though it's a stab at their pride and try to do even better. Just keep her in the arts classes and she'll eventually find something to do."

Camille nods as though she expected to hear that. Sometimes Wallace is just as mature as the other people her age. She knows that he's going to say something sensible when it comes to serious situations. Any other time, she tries not to listen to him.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I just don't want her to feel like she needs to have a pokemon to be a success."

"She'll be fine," Autumn reassures her sister.

"I believe so...But what pokemon?" Cami wonders, intrigued by the idea.

"Wasn't yours a Surskit?"

"Yes, but I don't think she'd want a Surskit like her mother."

"What about a Wurmple? Then she can get a Beautifly!" Wallace muses.

"Or a Dustox, and I'm not sure I wanna pay money to detoxify its wings so it can float around the house. Besides, she's not a fan of bug types."

"Is she a fan of water types?" Autumn comments in a flat tone. Everyone in their family likes water types, even if they just have one on the team. The appreciation of water types seems to be a family trait.

"Yes, but she doesn't want one," Camille laughs in response. "Typical, I know. But, I don't know. She won't be getting a pokemon for another few years, so no big deal. Just wanted to see what you guys thought."

"We think things will be fine, and she'll know what pokemon she wants when she's ready," Wallace smiles at his sister.

"Yeah... Anyways, I gotta head out soon. Wonderful seeing you guys! Autumn, let me know how things go with our parents tomorrow, okay?"

"I will. Love you!"

"Love you too, bye!"

Both siblings turn away from the phone and face the rest of the house. Autumn lifts up the acceptance letter and pouts. How is she going to bring this up? It's not going to be easy, that's for sure. Her parents can jump to conclusions pretty quickly, and if it goes that way, she'll definitely need Wallace on her side to bail her out. But she only wants to use him if she has to. He can't always be there to get her out of trouble; they're going to have to realize that she can make her own decisions.

"Come on, let's go practice. Jeffery will be listening and hounding us if we don't," Wallace stands up from the stool.

Autumn follows him with a sigh, folding up the paper and shoving it deep into her pocket. From the stairs, their pokemon join them on their way to the piano near the front window just a few feet from the entrance. Kirlia stands atop the piano waiting for the music to dance to. Lombre sits behind the stool waiting to listen, and Mightyena sits next to the piano, hoping to howl along to the music.

The two play for an hour or so, neither really caring what to play and sometimes playing two different songs. Either way, Jeffery counts it as practice and they love to have fun with it. The pokemon are a chorus and the two find it energizing. Autumn feels much better as they peel away for a lunch out front.

Over lunch they discuss possible ways to bring up the conversation during dinner tonight. Autumn just wants to dive right into it regardless of what may happen. Like ripping off a bandaid.

Wallace, on the other hand, would rather lead up to it. Butter up the parents, get them feeling proud of her and then hit them with the news. That way it'll soften the blow and they have time to think about how grown up Autumn is.

She's not a fan of that one, but they'll just have to wait and see what happens when they get there.

 _ **OoOoOoO**_

"So, you two, how was your day?"

The question is simple and soft coming from their mother. Autumn almost chokes on her veggie stir fry. Next to her, Wallace pats her back softly and with a small laugh. Neither of her parents really seem to think it's out of the ordinary.

"We called Camille today," Autumn states first, she can feel the letter in her pocket like a heavy weight. "She was worried about what pokemon to get Lisia. She wants it to be a Hoenn native one."

"Oh, that's exciting," Audrey's eyes brighten up at the aspect. "Did you say a Wurmple? Beautifly is such a pretty pokemon."

"That's what I said, but Lisia isn't a fan of bug types," Wallace replies with a twinkle in his eye. "She likes water types but doesn't want any. She's so particular."

"Hmm, I wonder where she gets that from?" Liam snorts under his breath.

"Dad, I wonder where _I_ get it from," his son replies with an indignant glare.

"Touche."

The two girls share a laugh.

"Anything else you did today?" Audrey wonders.

"Well, we played piano and, wow, Mom and Dad, Autumn is so good at it," Wallace starts, leaning forward in his chair. "Not only that, but she did some ballet too, she's so good. Kirlia was there and, man is she one tough coo-"

"I got accepted into Rustboro's Trainer Academy," Autumn blurts. Wallace glares at her but she rolls her eyes at him. "I got tired of your brown nosing."

"That's fantastic, dear," Audrey smiles from across the table. "We knew you would."

"So, what's your verdict?" Autumn shifts in her seat, next to her, Wallace grabs her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.

 _Stay calm._

"Are you sure you're ready?" her mother questions with a raised eyebrow.

"Mom, seriously? You've been telling Wally and me that you want us to do what we love, to explore, and _now_ you're backing down from that?" Autumn accuses with an even tone.

"I'm not backing down. It's just, you're my little girl, and Rustboro is so far away," she responds with a pout.

"Mom, I want to go to school, and then I want to travel. I want to be a coordinator. I want to see the world."

"For how long?" Liam questions. He seems interested in what she has to say.

"Uh, school? That's for a year, I'd graduate in May and go...somewhere. Traveling? I'm not so sure. I was hoping to do research at school," Autumn replies, looking hopeful.

For a tense moment, it's silent as they absorb the information. Liam's chewing has slowed, and he glances over at his wife with a frown. Audrey is staring at Autumn, her eyes scanning her face as if trying to find an answer. Wallace squeezes her hand once more for reassurance.

"Mom, I'll still be in the region. You have to let me go sometime," Autumn softens her voice, leaning on the table. "Let me go."

"Mom, she's not a little girl anymore. She's sixteen, and she'll be seventeen after graduation. She'll be fine," Wallace's voice cuts into the room.

"I'll come back and visit. It's not like I'll cut off all contact," Autumn promises.

Liam and Audrey share a look, sitting next to each other the two lean their heads in and whisper. Autumn grunts and grumbles, leaning back in her chair and rolling her eyes at them. Beside her, Wallace pats her shoulder. Even he is not so sure about letting her go, but how else is she going to learn? He gets to go, it'd be unfair if she couldn't.

Their parents continue their conversation, once in a while glancing down the table to look at the siblings eating their food and watching them. Despite being close to them, Autumn can't make out a single word they're saying and it frustrates her. She downs her food and water, pushing away the dishes to stare at her parents expectantly.

The two of them glance at Autumn before grinning.

"You're letting me go?" their daughter gasps.

"Of course."

She rips the letter out of her pocket and dashes to the end of the table. Liam breaks into laughter, accepting the letter from her and reading it over. His face creases, impressed by her ability to get in. Audrey shows the same thing when the paper is passed to her.

"I'm impressed!" Liam bellows raising his glass. "Jeffery, get the cake out! We're celebrating my daughter's success!"

"Right away, sir!" Jeffrey calls from the kitchen. "I knew she could do it!"

After celebratory cake, Audrey and Liam disappear, off to discuss the situation of their daughter leaving. It's a big deal, leaving home to become a trainer, some places even hold festivals for kids deciding to go. Some families have elaborate ceremonies planned and special rituals done. They're just not ready for something so big to happen to Autumn, to them she's still a little girl.

"I bet they're coming up with a way to keep me here," Autumn tells her brother as she logs onto her computer and goes to her pre-made account on the Academy website. "They were fine at dinner, but they're going to find something to keep me here."

"Can't you have a little faith?" Wallace smirks, leaning over her shoulder to read the screen. "What classes are you taking?"

"Umm, Coordinating 101, Fashion and Design, Cooking, and Caring for Pokemon for Coordinators..." Autumn reads off the list posted on her screen. "Not too bad, there are a few textbooks I'll have to rent out."

"Is the school expensive?" Wallace squints at the screen.

Autumn clicks on a link that leads her to the main page, with a one armed shrug she comes to a page detailing the fees. "Not really, it's just entrance fees and any other special material needed. Rustboro has a thing where they want anyone who wants to learn to be able to go. So there are sponsor's who will pay fees for students. Like...," she lifts a finger to the scholarship and sponsor's page, "Look, some people from Devon pay for students as well as the League because of the gym that's there."

"Wow, how serious is this school?"

"Some people go here for an education before going off to Universities to become nurses, doctors, and other important things. That's why there's a scholarship page specifically for them. They can get scholarships to whatever college they'll be going to after the Academy," Autumn points out the list she had referred to with a smile. "I'm gonna have to shop for new clothes and supplies."

"Don't forget a ticket to the mainland or do you plan on teleporting there?" he gives her a comical look.

"I was hoping you would take me, I know you were planning on leaving around the same time. And your first opponent is the gym leader there, so why not?" Autumn suggests, going back to her account to find a list of items to pack.

"I thought you didn't want me there for more than a day," he states, nudging her arm with a playful grin. "You gonna miss me that much, Sis?"

"It was for you. You're the one that can't let your little sister go. But if you don't want to take me, then fine, I'll find my own way there."

"I was kidding!"

"Should have thought about that twice."

"You are going to have a hard time making friends with that attitude..."

"Hey! At least my joke was harmless, that hit below the belt."

"It did, I'm sorry. I love my wittle seester!"

"You're older than me by five minutes!" Autumn grunts, trying to push her brother away as he smothers her with wet, slobbery kisses. She nearly falls off the chair, but he pulls her back up with a laugh.

"It's nine minutes and eleven seconds, thank you. Anyways, I bet you're going to miss that," he snickers, leaning on her shoulder to go through the packing page.

"Sometimes, I wonder..." she mutters under her breath clicking the print button and retrieving the papers from below her desk.

At his silence, Autumn turns to her brother to find him giving her a strange silent look. He's having one of his moments again. The moments where he's way too wise for his age and needs to censor himself so people don't find him weird. But he doesn't have to do that around her, she doesn't mind his bouts of wisdom. Though sometimes she wishes he wouldn't say such wise things and then break his leg a week later from trying to climb a steep section of wall.

"What?"

"I have confidence in you all the time, Autumn. Don't forget that," he shifts on his feet, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"What's wrong? I'm not leaving forever. I'll be back."

"I know, but you'll be so far away, and for a long time," he replies. It's silent for a quick moment before he shakes his head and smiles at her. Wallace once again. "I'm gonna go to bed now. I'm really proud of you Autumn."

"Thanks, Wally," she hugs him goodnight, while he kisses the top of her head twice.

As he leaves she turns back to the computer screen and flips through a few more pages. Scanning in a mindless swirl of words, reading random facts about the academy and the community surrounding the school as well. Rustboro seems like an okay place for her to live. She likes the idea of it being a close knit city, all on one level. She's been to the mainland before, just not extensively or specifically Rustboro.

She likes it, but only from what she's read.

Switching off the computer, Autumn flops down onto her bed. Kirlia gets up from the pillows and moves to kneel beside her distressed trainer. Autumn flips onto her back and stares back at her pokemon. Inseparable since a trip to the mainland, Kirlia, a Ralts back then, was glued to Autumn's hip. She had found the pokemon outside in Lilycove, lost and scared in an alleyway.

She coaxed her out with food and offered to take care of her. Back then, Wallace had just gotten his trainer license and caught the Ralts for Autumn after seeing their bond. He wanted them to always be together and so they are now. Kirlia is always with Autumn, trailing behind or just lurking in her pokeball. Sensing her trainer's distress and coming to her aid when needed. She's the therapy pokemon she didn't know she needed, and definitely got lucky.

"We're gonna be amazing, huh?" Autumn finally speaks with a face set in determination. "We're gonna be great, and we're gonna have fun, right?"

"Kir-lia!" the pokemon cheers, raising up a slender arm to the air. She does a graceful twirl before settling back onto the pillows.

Autumn watches her pokemon with a smile.

"We got in."


	4. Farewell for Now

**Sorry for the long pause, this semester is super busy! Hopefully as we get deeper into November, my editor and I can set aside time for writing/editing and stuff. Thanks for your patience. For this chapter, Autumn is prepping to leave, but her mother can't let her little girl go, so it'll be a struggle. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Hey Autumn? Do you think this would be good to wear?" Wallace pops into her room for the umpteenth time that day.

It's a month until they both leave, and he's getting desperate in picking out an outfit to wear while traveling. Of course, he has multiple different ways of putting each article of clothing together so that it's different from the last. But he just needs to make sure his idea is perfect.

Meanwhile, Autumn has been putting together her bag for school, gathering supplies, and buying some new clothes. Unlike her brother, she doesn't care what she'll be wearing. It's mostly because she'll be clad in a school uniform during school hours. For the rest of the time, she plans on wearing workout clothing, her usual garb.

She glances up from her pile and squints at him; he's holding up his swim team's tank top. 'Sootopolis Sharpedos' is emblazoned on the front with a teal outline against the dark blue background. On the back, she knows there's a yellow 'x' like the pokemon's marking along with some cheesy saying about there being sharks in the water or something.

"Seriously? You want to wear that?" she snorts in reply, shaking her head, and turning back to her pack.

"I'm running out of ideas!" he groans, hanging on her doorknob. "I've got my shoes and pants picked out, but the shirt!"

"Why not a different tank top or something? You have plenty of those," she responds with a yawn.

He perks up at her suggestion and runs across the hallway to his room. Autumn stretches out, twisting her neck this way and that before getting up to sort through the few clothes she'll have to bring. As she's going through her closet, she hears the rush of footsteps running back into her room. She twists around to see Wallace posing for her outside the door.

"Who are you trying to impress? You have to battle gym leaders, not out-fashion them," she laughs as he twirls this way and that for her.

He's donning dark jeans tucked into black hiking boots, new clothes he got from Mom the other day. It's from a fellow designer that has made a new line of clothes for traveling trainers in Unova. As for his shirt, he's picked out a sea blue tank top and a dark gray sleeveless hoodie. For extra measure, he flexes his biceps at her.

"Noodle arms!" she coughs into her hand.

"Come on," he pouts at her, twisting around to show her his backside. "Does it look good?"

"Yes, it looks good."

"I wanna be fashionable. I could be on the cover of magazines."

"Of course, this the outfit the world will see, Wally. It's perfect."

"Why are you saying it like that? I'm gonna be famous. Look at this face! I'm so pretty."

"Be careful, I think your head's a little big."  
"Is someone just a little jealous that I'll be more famous than them?"

"Haha, that's a funny joke. Who told you that one? Jeffrey?"

"Say what you want, but I can just smell the jealousy," Wallace turns and swaggers out of her room, his hips swaying dramatically. He pauses at the door and does a dramatic hair flip over one shoulder. "I promise I won't let the fame get to me."

"That's if I leave any for you!"

His laughter is heard from the hallway as he skips away, leaving Autumn to smile as she continues with her packing. The first day of class is circled on her desk calendar. She separated it from the rest of the book as a reminder. Each day, she crosses off the date and glances at the month of September with glee. One day at a time.

 _ **OoOoOoO**_

"Autumn, dear, would you pass the salt?" Audrey beckons her daughter across the table.

With a suspicious glance towards her mother, Autumn reaches for the salt shaker and lifts it from the table. A piece of paper sits beneath it, folded in half, looking innocent. A groan escapes her lips as she sets the shaker down in front of her mother and picks up the paper. Wallace hides his laughter behind his napkin as she unfolds it.

"Mom, this is the tenth time in the past three days..." Autumn ignores him and reads the factoid out loud. Her voice is mock professional and refined as she puts on a fake smile for the table. "'Did you know, one in fifteen people are mauled by Ursarings each year?'" Wallace bursts into a fit of laughter, clapping his hand on the table and holding in bits of food in his mouth. Autumn stares at the paper and gives her mother an incredulous look. "Mom, this isn't even real. And that's only 7%."

"It's real, I found it online. You should be looking too," Audrey hums, sprinkling some salt over her soup. Despite the goal of trying to get Autumn to stay, Audrey still smiles a bit at the nature of the note. It's all she can think of without physically making her daughter stay.

At the end of the table, Liam shakes his head with a soft chuckle at his wife's behavior. Though he is in on it, the strategy of small facts was her idea, and he is going along for the ride.

Autumn pockets the factoid and glares at her brother who is trying, and failing, to clean himself up from his explosion. He waves his hand at her, brushing off her glare for more laughter. His wheezing gets her to smile, but she's in no mood to laugh at her mother's stubborn attitude.

So far, Audrey is okay with the fact that Autumn is going away to school. It's the idea of her traveling after school that is making her do this. She's trying to convince Autumn to not go, but to stay within the Hoenn region. Except, this behavior just makes Autumn want to leave even more, and to go even farther away than she had originally intended.

After dinner, Autumn finds one more fact in her room tucked into the pocket of her sweatpants. She sighs and pulls this one out, unfolding it carefully and reading it to herself.

' _Too much fresh air may lead to fungus in the lungs. - Dr. Rx PhD; "The Dangers of Leaving Your House"'_

"Okay, this one isn't even real!"

 _ **XxXxXxX**_

"Duffel bag? Check. Backpack? Check. List of textbooks and map of the academic building? Check. Info on my roommate Hooper-er, I mean, _Harper_? Check," Autumn glances around her room for the millionth time since she got up at the crack of dawn. She's not going to hide the fact she'll miss the house. It's all she's ever known. But she's not going to tone down the fact she's finally getting out, that she's going to become... _someone._ She'll find out just who Autumn Mikuri is, and hopefully, they're a person she'll be okay with being.

She snaps her fingers, remembering one more thing. "My best buddy?"

Glancing around the room, she sees a bump under her blankets and sneaks up to the bed. With a gleam in her eyes, she reaches for the lump and shouts 'Bah!'.

"Kir-li-lia!" her pokemon squeals, leaping out from under the sheets.

The two fall into laughter, clutching each other tight. Autumn hugs her pokemon's lithe body close and sighs. "This is it, girl. We're going out into the world, you and me. We can do this, right?"

"Lia!" the psychic type nods, ecstatic about going somewhere new. This is as much of an adventure for Kirlia as it is for Autumn. New people, new pokemon, new friends.

Autumn smiles at her partner before sitting up with a fresh smile on her face. "Okay, let's head downstairs for breakfast. I'm starving."

From the top of the steps, Autumn can hear a small clamour of voices echoing from the dining area next to the living room. A frown forms on her face as she races in that direction. She passes many photo frames and the piano before pausing in the large entryway. She finds it bustling with people and not just random people, but her _instructors._ She and Kirlia share a look before Autumn clears her throat nice and loud for everyone to hear.

"Awww, you weren't supposed to come down for another half hour!" Wallace gripes from across the room as he and Juan hold up a banner. "Go back to bed!"

"What's going on?" she replies, glancing around the room looking for her mother.

Audrey sweeps into view with Liam right behind; her mother is looking classy and beautiful as usual. Dressed in a black and white sheath dress, it sticks to her gentle curves perfectly. Draped around her neck is her favorite pearl necklace received from her husband on their fifth anniversary. Around her waist lies a deep red belt to match the heels clicking across the tiled floor. Her hair has been pinned back, revealing her soft, angular face.

Beside her, Liam dons pressed jeans folded precisely at the tops of his dress shoes and a white button up with a red bow tie. The shirt clings to his big build. His blue hair has been brushed back, leaving his handsome angles to greet the world.

Autumn loves seeing her parents coordinated and dressed up. There's something about it that warms her inside.

"It _was_ a surprise, but, it was bound to be revealed anyway," Audrey clasps her hands at her waist, giving Liam a pointed look.

He coughs and smiles at his daughter. "I was supposed to keep you in your room... Surprise! It's a goodbye party."

"What?" Autumn gasps, looking around the room at all the people who've been in her life for a long time.

They all shout surprise and lift their glasses in her general direction. Each of them smiling at her as a proud father would look at their child. She stares at each of them, touched that they would gather at her house for something so meager as sending her off to Academy.

"Wow...Thank you everyone, I-I don't really know what to say," she stammers, a shocked smile taking over her face at the sight of the banner being hung behind the small crowd.

"We just wanna wish you luck," Juan offers with a gentle hug. "We're all so proud of you, _mon élève_. We want to see you off as you take a big step out the door."

"Awww, you guys are sweet," she chuckles before setting off to talk to and thank everyone.

Wallace gets some music playing in the background, and Jeffrey whips up some party snacks. The mingling begins. Autumn's shocked not by the _amount_ of people who showed up, but by _who_ showed up. Her old etiquette tutor has come by, an old woman by the name of Lynette Caldwell that taught Autumn to address her elders and how to speak in a formal setting and such. All the basic things anyone should know about being in the world. It brings on a wave of nostalgia to see her just as lively as she remembers.

As her mother and father flit around the room, keeping everyone equally entertained, Autumn sits down for some breakfast. Jeffrey has made her favorite, pecha and chocolate crepes drizzled with Oran sprinkles and topped with whipped cream. Wallace plops down beside her on the bench as she guzzles down the food.

"By the way, the party was my and Dad's idea. Mom helped plan it," he leans on her, stealing a bite of food on her fork.

"Thanks, Brother," she pushes her plate farther from him before taking another bite. "What about you?"

"Yeah, they're also here for me, but mostly you because... Well, you know, Mom's struggling with this," he shrugs one shoulder. "Her two kids are splitting up, it's heartbreaking for her… for me, too."

"You really are sweet sometimes."

"Don't forget to say that in the interviews about me and my fame," he swipes his finger across the whip cream.

Autumn turns to him with a glare. "I'm going to tell them horrible things in the side comments of _my_ interviews for _my_ fame."

"You could say, we're having a _contest_ then, huh?"

"... I think you're trying too hard there."

"My humor will be my focal point, it's under appreciated."

"For a reason."

He just ruffles her hair with a smirk, allowing her to finish the rest of her meal in peace as the party slowly winds down. At the door, Jeffrey hands out party favors with a smile and a request to come again. Autumn says goodbye to each person, thanking them for coming, and that, yes, she'll study hard.

"Autumn, Wallace," Juan bows his head to them, a fond smile on his face as he regards each of them with twinkling eyes.

"Master," they both say in unison.

He turns back towards the coat rack to pick up a colorful blue bag with white tissue paper sticking out the top. In his other hand is a pokeball wrapped up in wrapping paper. Beside her, Wallace nudges Autumn and gestures to the pokeball as being for him with a proud gleam.

"I am proud of the both of you, you have flourished and become two outstanding adults, well, almost adults," he chuckles at Autumn, holding out the bag for her. Wallace coughs as if to say, 'I told you the ball was for me'. She ignores him and accepts the bag with a giddy grin. "For you, a decoration for your dorm room."

Autumn beams as she pulls out a wooden letter from the bag. It's elegantly carved, curling up on one side and slanting at the top, she knows that he got it from the carver in town with a paper of his own handwriting. Covering its entire surface are black and white pictures of her over the years. At the top are her baby to toddler years down to the bottom where it's almost to the present. Almost all of them are pictures of her and Juan, as he's been present in their lives for a while because of their mother.

"I love it. Thank you," she grasps the gym leader in a tight hug.

"I'm glad you do," he hums in reply before giving her brother the pokeball. "As my apprentice, it is custom I give you a pokemon that has come from one of my own. I picked this pokemon especially because you've been asking since the beginning."

"Yes!" Wallace leaps, tearing the wrapping off the pokeball and tossing it into the air.

Juan's eyes widen, and he lifts a hand to try and stop the young man with a small shout, but too late. The ball pops open and out flashes, not the Milotic Wallace was expecting, but a Feebas. The water type flops onto the ground and flails about looking for a source of water.

Wallace sobers up and fumbles for the pokeball as Juan keeps the pokemon from knocking anything over. Autumn bursts into laughter, clutching her stomach as all the air escapes her.

"I-I got excited," Wallace stammers, after Feebas is back in her ball.

"I would not give you a Milotic, that is for you to do on your own," Juan chuckles, shaking his head and smiling at the both of them. "I'll be seeing you. Good luck to the both of you."

"Thanks, Master."

Autumn eyes her brother with a derisive grin. He pouts, nudging her, trying to get her to look away. It only makes her laugh a bit harder when Ms. Caldwell, taps her back a bit hard to straighten it and regards her with crinkling eyes. This time, Autumn sobers up fast, remembering that she's the last to go from the party.

"Don't be afraid to use your words out there, Autumn. Better yet, don't be afraid to lift your chin and speak clearly. You'll find that some people want to shut you up because you're right, and they don't want that," she offers advice before waving off Jeffrey's gift. "I'd rather not have a basket filled with goodies worth more than my house, thank you. I have enough pictures of little Autumn in my home already. Good bye, dearie."

Wallace and Autumn share a laugh at their instructor's same old attitude before disappearing back into the house. There they find their parents waiting for them with big smiles on their faces. Audrey holds up a camera and snaps a photo of them before they can pose.

"Am I blinking?" Wallace quizzes as she looks at the photo.

"No... My little darlings are all grown up," Audrey whimpers, clutching the camera close.

Liam wraps an arm around his wife's waist and pulls her close. "They're not disappearing into the world forever, love. They'll be back."

"Yeah, Mom. We'll call and write," Wallace promises. "It'll be fine."

"I know, I guess I'm just not ready," Audrey sniffles, accepting a tissue from Liam. "You two call me everyday."

"I don't know about that, how about an email every week?" Autumn supplies instead.

"Deal."

Jeffrey appears then, carrying Autumn's duffel bag, a container full of decorations and Wallace's hiking backpack. They're taking a ferry to the mainland. Their parents bought the tickets as a gift. It's going to take them to Slateport, where they'll board one more boat to get to Route 104 and walk the rest of the way there. A pretty normal trip.

"Now let me know when you're settled in. Your father and I will be visiting tomorrow for lunch, okay?" Audrey straightens up her daughter's outfit. Since she doesn't have to arrive in a school uniform, nor does she actually own one, she has put on some skinny jeans, ankle boots, and a simple black and blue tank top. Her mother brings a hand to her chin and pats her head lovingly. "Be careful, okay? Take your vitamins, eat healthy meals, and get some rest."

"Don't worry, Mom, I'll be fine," Autumn chuckles, running a hand through her medium length hair. "I'll message you when I'm there."

"Good," the older blonde grins. "And just know that you can always come home if you feel that it's too much or you don't know what to do."

"I won't do that, but thanks."

Liam and Audrey trade to dote on the other child. Liam embraces his daughter, picking her up and twirling her around.

"No boys in your dorm alone with you, and if you must, please use con-"

"Dad!" Autumn wiggles out of his grasp and hides her face in embarrassment. "I'm not doing any of that."

"Alright, alright, I was just saying," he laughs. "We do have business partners in Rustboro, so try to stay out of trouble?"

Autumn grimaces. "There will be effort."

"I'm sure you'll do great," he puts a hand on her shoulder, his blue eyes somber as he regards her. "Just be careful."

"I will," she sighs, tired of answering the same thing over and over again.

Audrey dotes on her children some more as they try and leave the house. It boils down to Liam holding his wife back from following them down the stairs. Autumn feels herself choking up, but manages to bite it back as her brother shouts something about them being free. The positive vibes from her brother are more of an aid than she expects. The dread of leaving home dulls, leaving only the excitement of seeing the mainland for the first time in a _long_ time.

"What's the ferry like?" she blurts out the question as they approach the marina lining the shore line of Sootopolis.

"Oh yeah, you were pretty young last time we went for a ride. Well, the boat moves a lot in the beginning, but after awhile you get over it. There are people on board that are here for vacation, so they might stare and take pictures of everything. It goes by pretty quickly, we'll be in Slateport in about four hours."

"'Quickly?'" she gives him an incredulous look. He shrugs in reply.

"As a trainer, anything goes by pretty quickly. It'd suck to think about every single step I'd take, it'd make the trip even longer."

"You haven't even started."

" _Au contraire, ma soeur_ ," he taps her nose as they walk along the dock amongst the small crowd of people boarding the S.S. Tidal. "We have only just begun."

 _ **OoOoOoO**_

Just as Wallace had said, the fours hours did fly by quickly. Autumn found herself enamored with the way the boat rocked on the sea, the wild pokemon swimming alongside the ship or flying in the sky above, and even the tourists. At first, the amount of people on the ship unsettled her. They watched her and her brother as if they were foreign, or was that just an illusion?

She felt out of place as everyone talked to each other with smiles on their faces and stories falling from their mouths. Wallace stayed by her side, pointing out different sights as they went along.

By the time they reached Slateport, it was two thirty.

Most of the passengers got off and made room for some new ones heading towards Rustboro. At this point, Autumn spotted Mt. Chimney, a sight she never got to see from Sootopolis. It was a lot bigger than she expected, looming so far in the distance with its top almost touching the clouds. It emanated adventure, and she had the sudden urge to venture to the top to see some lava churning within its crater.

Soon, it left her focus as Route 104 came within view. Together, the two siblings ventured off the boat and into Petalburg Woods. At that time, it was about four, and the trek through the woods took no longer than thirty minutes. Wallace got in a few battles, and Autumn cheered him on.

By the time they reached Rustboro, Autumn had almost forgotten about attending school in the rush of traveling. But as the city's buildings came into view and the sound of busy streets hit her ears, she felt ready for the challenge ahead. Her excitement rushed back along with a small surge of nerves. She was finally here.

Rustboro City.


	5. Day One

**Alright, our girl has made it to school. She's nervous, as anyone else would be for their first day in a new city and school. There will be some adventures in school before we move on to Autumn's adventures. Last time, I didn't emphasize on her travels, but this time I will. It will be crucial for Autumn, plus there will be lots of drama. However, first is school. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Autumn Mikuri, right?" the secretary hands Autumn a few papers while eyeing her with a smile.

"Um, yes, that's correct," Autumn accepts the paper with a small blush.

The Academy was easy to find with its extravagant front entryway complete with black spiked gates and a large water fountain out front. Two decent sized lawns sprinkled with planted trees and other shrubs sat beside the pathway winding around the fountain to the front steps. The school is large with a residential living area separate from the academic and other buildings. The grounds are in a simple circle, and it's all beside the elementary school across the street and in the center of a cozy community.

A cute living space, just as Autumn predicted.

Even the city itself is well kept. Stone sidewalks as well as black streets with dark lamp posts occupy the end of each street. The buildings aren't as big as Autumn expected, except for one: Devon. The building is made mostly of glass with a brick outer shell giving it an elegant, old time feel. It stands out amongst the throng of buildings only half its size around. the only thing bigger than it is Mt. Chimney in the background. Autumn could get used to being here.

"Okay, and I'll need you to fill this form out for your pokemon," the woman, Janice, hands her a clipboard with a pen attached to it while gesturing to some chairs for the two to sit at.

"Why's that?" Wallace eyes the paper suspiciously.

Autumn frowns at him, "School rules."

"That's right. We like to have a file in case anything should happen," Janice beams at Autumn's knowledge despite the simple answer. "Once you're done, I'll take the paper and you can head to your dorm."

The form is simple, asking for the species of pokemon, its type, what attacks it knows, and so on. Autumn finishes it within a few minutes and the two siblings head out of the main office toward the back of the main academic building, onward to the left of the back courtyard to the dorms. Autumn feels her stomach clench at the sight of students, all clad in uniforms, walking around talking amongst each other.

Everyone looks happy conversing, laughing, and sharing stories about their break away from each other. On reflex, Autumn's hand finds Wallace's arm, and she clutches his wrist for life. He accepts her grip and guides her to the building.

"You'll have friends in no time," he says as they come up to the building to find some older looking classmen talking to younger students holding bags and such.

Just then, a boy with darker skin than their own walks up to them with a controlled smile on his face and a gleam in his pretty brown eyes. Autumn is nervous by his appearance, wondering why he's coming up to them and if he has something for her. She gets her answer as he sticks his hand out to her.

"I'm Evan. I'll be your CA or your community advisor," he accepts her feeble grip in his own, gently shaking her hand and noticing her nervous glance towards her brother. "Don't worry, I know this is a lot, but it gets better. My job is to make sure you settle in and to address any problems you have, personal or academic."

"Oh, nice to meet you, I'm-"

"Autumn Mikuri. I've read up on everyone's file," Evan smiles with pride and then mutters the last part bashfully at Wallace's questioning look. "Anyways, I have your key. Would you like me to show you to your room?"

"That won't be necessary, I'll help her move in," Wallace takes the key before Autumn has the chance to lift her hand. "Nice meeting you, Evan. I'm glad my sister has someone responsible to look after her."

"Sure thing!" Evan misses Wallace's derisive look and waves Autumn off as the two head inside.

"He seemed nice, why would you be rude like that?" she jabs her brother with her elbow. "I'm trying to make friends, remember?"

"Yeah, I know," he avoids the question with a half grin in her direction. He lifts up her key to gaze at her room number. "Room 245... That seems to be," he skips up to a map, dodging a small group of girls giggling in his general direction, much to Autumn's dismay. Tracing his finger along the map he turns back to Autumn with a smile. "That's the west wing, we go up those stairs."

With an exasperated nod, she follows her brother to the stairs in the far corner of the circular lobby. Autumn thought there were a lot of people outside, and the lobby was partially empty, but the hallway is a completely a different story.

People are everywhere, and they're of every shape and size. Some kids are running around playing while their older siblings get settled in. Parents are trying to figure out how to set up bunk beds, older siblings are teasing their younger siblings. Some friends have found each other and are squealing about sharing a room and living in the same general area. All around it's a lot of noise.

Autumn squeezes past many of these people, eyeing them with curiosity. Which ones are going to be her friends? Who is she going to hate? Who's going to hate her? Despite the noise, she feels oddly calm. The calm before the storm, she guesses as they come up to her room.

"You can do the honors, sis," Wallace drops the key into her palm.

She stares at the door for a quick moment. 245 is carved into the wooden door in curvy writing and painted black. Beside it is a picture of her, one she sent in after being accepted that's on her ID as well. On the other side of the door, is a picture of her roommate Harper Lewis. Autumn peers at her face, finally able to put it to the name.

She finds that she's a pretty girl, her smile is nice, though it seems forced in the photo. Her hair is long, falling out of the frame over her shoulders. The quality isn't too good, but her eyes seem to be a light brown on her round face. Autumn feels a sense of relief for some reason, knowing that her roommate looks more or less like she does.

"In we go," she jabs the key in the lock and twists.

The door swings open to reveal a decent sized room with a window lining the back wall above a spacious countertop. The carpet is a customary dark red with grey walls, the school colors being dark red and coal gray, and wooden furnishings. To the left of the door is another door leading to the shared closets. To the right, is a space already filled with a chair, a stand, and some other belongings.

Autumn turns her head to the front to see Harper standing at her bed sorting through her things, listening to music, and unaware of their presence. The blonde looks at her brother and lets the door swing shut. It makes a sound loud enough to alert Harper, but she doesn't jump, she just glances their way before reaching for her iPod.

"Hey, you must be Autumn," she greets in a neutral tone and a small smile. She's already donning the school uniform and Autumn admits that she looks good in it.

Red tights cling to her slender legs under the gray skirt that falls to her knees per school regulation. The white button up glows underneath the gray blazer carefully pressed and still a bit stiff looking. It's now that Autumn admits that her mother must have really had an idea of it being cute from the photo her daughter showed her weeks after admittance.

"Y-yeah, and you're Harper," she states the fact with an unsure voice. Looking at her face she finds that the girl has hazel eyes. Light brown swirls mixed with spots of green, reminding Autumn of Petalburg Woods as the sun shown on the trees as they approached. Her hair is pin straight and dark brown, falling just past her shoulders. She's pretty in Autumn's eye all the way down to the freckles sprinkled over her face.

"Well, you got into this room with your key, so, yeah. I am Harper," the girl snorts in reply and regards Wallace with a narrow eyed look as if unimpressed by him. Autumn is grateful and decides that she likes this girl, there's no need for a repeat of Sootopolis. And if there were ever a sign, well... The girls in the lobby were it. "Are you her brother?"

"Why, yes, I am," Wallace smiles swinging his arm out and gesturing to himself with a hand on his heart. "I am Wallace Mikuri."

"Nice to meet you," Harper seems unimpressed by his theatrics and turns back to their dorm. "I picked this side, I figured it wouldn't matter much."

"Uh, no, I don't mind," Autumn picks up her bag and tosses it onto her bed. "H-how long have you been here?"

"As in how long have I attended this school? Or when did I check in?" the brunette replies over her shoulder, picking up her clothes and folding them to be put away in the dresser at the end of her bed.

"Um, both."

"This is my first year here, but I've lived in Rustboro since forever. I checked in about an hour ago. I had to take my parents around before I came here, though, so that's why I'm just getting settled in," she speaks in a careless tone.

Autumn bites her lip as she takes out her box of decorations. Has Harper decided she doesn't like her? Is she going to laugh at the decorations she brought? Or worse, is she going to tear them down when she's not here?

"Have you ever been in a dorm room before?" Harper walks over, as Wallace helps Autumn by taking her clothes out of her bag. "Have you ever left your room before? You're acting a little weird."

"Uh, this is the first time I've left Sootopolis," Autumn stammers, clutching the box to her stomach. She gazes at her roommate with wide, fearful eyes.

A smile forms on the girl's face, a sharp one, but not a harsh one. She laughs and pats Autumn's shoulder. "And here I thought you were gonna be some islander bitch or some complete weirdo with no idea what personal space is. Listen, we don't have to be best friends, hell you don't even have to like me. Respect my stuff, and I'll respect yours. I'm just here to get away from my stupid parents."

"O-o-oh," Autumn exhales with a mix of emotions. "I'd like to be friends, I mean, I didn't have many of those back home."

Harper raises a brow and shakes her head. "Maybe I judged too early..." At Autumn's deflated and embarrassed look, the brunette rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. We can be friends, but don't expect me to be around much."

"O-okay," the blonde grins, a small blush on her face.

"I'll leave you to move in, there's people I gotta see." Harper tosses her iPod on her bed and heads out the door without a look back.

"She's...tasteful," Wallace comments, emerging from the closet after putting his sister's clothes away. He hands her bag to her, grimacing. "Your underwear and junk are in there. Not touching those."

"Shut up," she mumbles under her breath, setting her box down to put away the rest of her clothes. "I think Harper is cool. Besides, aren't we all trying to get away from something?"

"I'm not," Wallace grunts, crossing his arms and lifting his chin.

Autumn ignores him, putting her clothes away in a neat order before turning back to her bed. On top are some new covers she ordered off the school catalog. They're turquoise, white, and black, reminiscent of colors used often in Sootopolis sports teams. She thought she'd enjoy a small taste of home aside from her decorations. On top of _those_ is a plastic bag with her uniform inside. There's three pairs of tights, two skirts, two shirts, and one blazer. Having bought two pairs of black Mary Jane shoes, Autumn is set to look like the rest.

"Come on, it's almost six. Let's get some dinner," Wallace holds his tummy with a frown. "There's a nice diner downtown."

"How do you know?" Autumn searches her bag for her purse, tossing in her wallet filled just that morning with money from her piggy bank.

"Dad told me," he flashes a wad of cash. "Dinner's on him tonight."

 _ **OoOoOoO**_

Over dinner, the two gush over the trip and how much fun they had. Autumn talks about her fear of school and how everyone seems to know everyone else already. Harper's misconceptions are a problem as well. If she thought those things of Autumn, who else does? Who else is going to take the time to find out that she's not in those stereotypes? Teenagers love stereotypes.

Wallace comforts her and promises her that it will all be fine, and that in a few weeks she'll laugh at how worried she was about making friends. He promises to stay around Rustboro for a while, as the first gym is here he might as well, until she finds friends. Despite her arguments, he's adamant about not leaving until she's settled in and happy.

After dinner, he walks her back to her dorm and wishes her a good night's rest and luck for her day of classes tomorrow. That night, Autumn finishes unpacking her things and Harper takes her on a short tour of the floor's kitchen and bathrooms.

Laying in bed, Autumn stares at the alarm clock on the countertop above her head, wondering how long it will take to sleep. On her desk at the end of the bed, facing the wall, lies her pokeball with Kirlia inside. She hasn't asked Harper about her comfort level with pokemon. As Wallace had brought up earlier, she should ask before letting her partner out.

She curses not coming up with a list of things to ask Harper and hopes she's not coming across as rude. Worrying about other people and their fear or comfort level with pokemon wasn't a problem back home and seems like a foreign issue. Turning onto her side, towards the wall, Autumn lets out a quiet sigh and closes her eyes. Her tasks for tomorrow are simple: get textbooks and find her classrooms. She only has two classes tomorrow, but they're both at least an hour long.

 _No use being tired when there's a full day ahead you._


	6. In the Meantime

**Sorry for the long break, I promise I'm not stopping any of this. I finally got a breather from class and will be trying to get my stuff together so that I can post/write more. For now, it's just this chapter while I get everything sorted and write again. Thanks for your patience now enjoy!**

* * *

Autumn is not lost, but she is absolutely sure she will be lost when she leaves her Contest 101 class. Sitting down near the front of the lecture room, she tries not to glance around too much. Her stomach is rolling from nerves, and her hands are shaky.

Even after the breakfast that Harper ever so gracefully invited her to, allowing the blonde a chance to voice her anxieties, isn't calming her.

Worse still, the room is large, enough for at least 100 students. The clatter of books, bags, and the buzz of chatter echo off the tall paper white walls. A few other students have taken seats in the front of the classroom, but they're at least a seat or two away from her. The rest have piled in the middle as far as they can without the professor coming in and telling them to move up.

From all the noise and footsteps, Autumn guesses that at least 50 people are taking this class as well. She believes she has a chance to make at least one friend in this class.

The thought escapes her as her professor walks in and settles a bag on the ground. He looks a lot younger than expected, in his late twenties, with a neatly shaved head and growing beard. His clothes look expensive, something her mother's employees would wear whenever out at fashion shows. To her, the saying 'Tall, dark and handsome' most definitely applies.

Behind her, girls silence each other and their chairs creak as each of them lean forward on the tiny desktops.

"Hello everyone, I am Dr. Paulo Tate. In this class, we will learn the basics of contests, how to direct your pokemon to make dazzling appeals, the rules and guidelines, as well as how to judge contests," he explains in a silvery tone.

It reminds Autumn of an actor on stage, lifting their voice at the precise moment to convey a certain emotion. To her, it seems that Dr. Tate wants to convey excitement, and he puts just enough emphasis on what they're learning rather than the point values or tests. She feels much better about this class as he goes through the syllabus. A majority of it she has already learned from Juan, now she is going to perfect her skills. She'll hone them so that when she gets out into the world she'll, hopefully, stand firmly on two feet.

That's the goal. Things in the mind go much better than they do in real life.

Being the first day of class, Tate ends twenty minutes in, finishing his intro to the class with an assignment. A paper, two pages due for the following week. Many students groan and complain, but Autumn finds the topic to be simple enough to finish in thirty minutes. She wished he could have spoken more, but it's the first day and only the female part of the class actually have their books. Autumn got hers that morning, thinking that the first day everything was going to get rolling, she suspects the girls got theirs in the hopes of being able to see Dr. Tate for the full hour of lecture. The male section of class, bigger than Autumn thought, for the most part, waited.

As she gathers her things, she watches everyone get up and go, some of the girls stay behind to speak with Tate. Most of them are giggly and giddy, but there are a few that seem to have questions pertaining to actual class material. She looks at the group and considers walking up and introducing herself.

 _They're going to think you're weird and not want to be your friend._

Biting her lip, she retreats to the hallway in favor of scoping out the rooms for the rest of her classes. She'd rather not get lost and be isolated because of it.

She pulls out a little hand held map and gets on her way. She walks from building to building, making a mental note of each classroom before grabbing a snack from a vending machine. Sitting on the steps of one of the academic buildings, Autumn chews on her protein bar while watching students walk around.

The sun shines down on campus, making the random fountains sparkle and the trees gleam a luscious green. In the distance, Mt. Chimney's peak is covered with clouds, but the red of the rest of it stands out against the vibrant blue sky. She always thinks Hoenn has the best sights to see, especially now being on the mainland. But she wonders what sights her adventures in other regions will offer.

 _Note to self, look up Kanto, Johto, and Sinnoh later,_ she thinks, standing up to dust crumbs off her skirt.

She gathers her bag around her shoulders and heads off to her Fashion Design class.

Her mother was elated to hear the news of her taking this class. It sent her back to her own school days where she poked her hand sewing and often got string tangled in machines from messing around too much. And now that's going to be Autumn.

Why did she pick this class? She knows she's terrible at sewing. It's not something she did often at home with her mother, and now she's regretting it.

Contest class will be easy, but she plans to use the extra time working on clothes.

She doesn't plan on making her outfits for every contest, maybe only certain ones that call for something special. But it doesn't hurt to know how to sew up any nicks in clothing in case of an emergency, contest or otherwise.

This time, Autumn piles into the rectangular classroom along with her classmates. All of them seem to know each other as they take spots in pairs. She finds a spot at one of the long white tables in the back.

She ignores the friendly chatter and takes a survey of the room. Behind her sits a long table with scissors, rulers, and some cloth sitting on top. She grimaces at the sight, hoping that they won't have to make entire outfits themselves. That would be a lot of work for a beginner class in an Academy, not known as a University _for_ fashion.

"Is this seat taken?"

Autumn jumps at the voice and spins around to see a redheaded girl with big green eyes staring at her. It looks as though freckles spilled across her face and showered down onto her neck and arms. Her hair is cut nice and straight at her elbows, pin straight, and so perfect Autumn is keenly aware that her hair is a bit frizzy from her constant touches.

"Uh, it's open," the blonde responds twisting to the front of the room and staring forward.

"Mind if I sit here then?" the girl continues eyeing her with suspicion.

"I don't," Autumn speaks in a robotic tone.

 _Just relax_ , she eases herself with quiet, calming breaths.

"I'm Sarah, by the way," the girl takes a seat and turns to Autumn with a polite smile. "What's-"

"I'm Autumn," she starts speaking right after Sarah's announcement. She hadn't realized the girl would ask her and looks panicked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"It's okay... You're not from around here, huh? Lilycove? Sootopolis?" Sarah shrugs and pulls out a notebook.

"Sootopolis," Autumn flinches, her accent is becoming a weak point.

"Did I make you angry? Your accent isn't bad, just noticeable," Sarah looks annoyed at Autumn's annoyance.

"I'm not angry, I was... over thinking," she admits, dropping her shoulders. "Some people have made fun of it."

Sarah turns to her with an apologetic half smile, "Make fun of them back. I sound funny to you, don't I?" Autumn nods. "Then say it right back. Our accents aren't that different, I hear the accents in Johto and Kanto are worse. But they're two separate regions close to each other, we're just one huge chunk of land with smaller islands around it."

"I guess you're right. Thanks," Autumn mutters just as the professor walks in.

Sarah nods just as the professor starts talking.

She's a short woman, plump and stout. Her hair is short in the back and slanted along her jawline towards the front and jet black. It makes her face look more angular, but her serious expression sharp. As she walks in, her heels click across the floor, Autumn looks to see gorgeous blood red heels of only a few inches. She's donning black skinny jeans and a loose white, V neck blouse. Autumn is reminded of some of her mother's workers as she regards the professor with a hint of envy.

She introduces herself as Professor Pruitt. Much like Tate, Autumn finds Pruitt's voice easy to listen to even as she gives the expectations she has for the class. Her voice swims around the room, holding everyone's attention. While she goes through the syllabus, her voice hides the difficulty level of the class.

They may not be making their own outfits, but they must study up on the latest fashions. They will need to be able to mend any kind of problem that may arise and understand that if anyone were to be a coordinator, they will have to know colors and designs to pass the media's standards. Autumn knew that would be a problem. The media is always nitpicky about what a coordinator wears despite the focus of a contest being the pokemon.

Being the daughter of a well known fashion designer may have its advantages when it comes to clothes shopping, but her mother won't be able to help her when she's halfway across the world and in need of something nice for a contest.

Throughout the rest of class, Sarah remains silent, only talking to answer questions or ask Autumn what was said for notes. Much like her, Autumn sticks to notes and lets all the questions slide considering this isn't her best subject. Besides, Sarah seems keen on getting every question right, and who is Autumn to get in the way of that?

"Sarah? I was wondering," Autumn starts as class ends and everyone is packing up. "What are your other classes?"

"Oh, here's my schedule," she slides over her planner with her schedule taped to the front.

Autumn skims over it quickly and smiles. "We have cooking together, would you mind sitting by me for that class?"

 _You sound desperate._

Sarah doesn't seem to think so and smiles at her. "That's no problem at all. It'd be nice to have a study partner."

"I agree," she returns the smile. She picks up her bag and glances up to ask Sarah to lunch when she sees her leave the room quickly. Biting back the disappointment, Autumn hoists her bag up and slinks out of the room with her head bowed.

Outside, the lingering aroma of food wafts in from the eating area. Since it's a nice day, and the first day of class, the school is having a cookout. Around the circular courtyard, grills dot the space as well as some tables and chairs. Students are everywhere, holding plastic plates topped with different foods and conversing with each other.

Squeezing around groups, Autumn gathers her own food and glances around.

Sarah is nowhere to be found, and she feels she may have done something wrong to have the girl practically running away after class. Harper has a class until 3:30 and Autumn isn't going to sit in their room for an hour to wait for her. What if she's not hungry? On second thought, she won't take that chance.

As she walks around she introduces herself to people, hoping to reach through, only to be turned away by most. The ones that do talk with her hold no interest in getting to know her personally. They only hold a polite conversation with her before excusing themselves to sit and eat with friends. As she passes by she can hear words like 'rich girl from Sootopolis' or 'funny accent', which makes it harder for her to want to talk with people.

Her hands begin to get tired of holding the plate and the food seems to be getting cold, so she finds the empty end of a table and takes a seat. Frowning and hunched over, she tries not to let words bug her. Just like home, she puts up her walls and sits there with a small smile on her face as she eats.

She finishes her meal quickly and sets off for her dorm in favor of getting started on that paper. But when she gets there, it's still too sunny to lock herself up inside being gloomy about her lack of connection with people. She plants herself on the large steps up to the dorms and pulls out her pokenav to call her brother.

He called earlier to get her pumped for the day, but it was morning, and Autumn doesn't like mornings. His call only made her crabbier until she got food in her stomach. Even across the region, and he still manages to get under her skin. Is it going to be the same when they're regions apart? She hopes not.

"Hello?" he picks up on the fourth ring.

"Hey, brother," she breathes into the phone, leaning back and stretching her legs out in front of her. "I'm finished for the day."

"Oh? How was it?" he asks with a yawn.

"It was okay, I have a paper due and I swear this fashion class is going to murder me," she admits, curling her finger around her hair. "I tried to make friends and failed completely. No one wants to get to know the 'rich girl from Sootopolis with the funny accent'."

"Is that what they said?"

"It's what most are saying. I can't be the only one from Sootopolis here!" she groans staring at the sky.

"Well, Rustboro Academy is one of at least twenty schools around Hoenn and it ranked within the top ten. There are two in Sootopolis and four more close by, so yeah, you could be," he explains in a factual tone. She hates when he does this because sometimes he pulls words from his behind and strings them together to make them seem real _or_ he _actually_ knows the information and strings them together as if he made it up. She knows there's two in Sootopolis, the girls academy and the boys, but they're known for the arts and history. She has no clue about the other four.

"I think you're making that up."

"Maybe, but you're really far from home, so I don't doubt that you could be one of the few Sootopolitans there," he responds with humor in his voice. She can almost see his cheeky grin now. "Besides, that doesn't matter. People will get over your voice. Don't give up now."

"I won't, it's only the first day," she says more as a reminder for herself. "It's a really nice day. I just wanted to see what you were up to."

"I am sitting at a table near the ocean reading up on today's news, wanna hear?"

Normally she would, reading gossip magazines was a popular past time with their mother at the house. But today, she just feels so tired and downtrodden she'd rather go to her room. This past hour outside hasn't done anything to pacify her hurt feelings. She grimaces at her declining attitude and sighs.

"No. I think I'm going to go work on a paper and then study up on some stuff."

"Okay," he replies. "Try not to let today get you down, okay? You'll make friends. I promise. It was your first day of classes, and they seem pretty easy. You'll be fine."

"Thanks, talk to you later," she manages a smile before hanging up.

Another sigh escapes her lips as she stands up and heads inside. Going up the steps she passes by a few people getting ready to play some volleyball, as well as some others heading out to relax in the sun. The rest of the hallway is silent and empty as she heads to the end and unlocks her door.

Their dorm is dark and quiet, Harper must be eating somewhere with her friends. Leaving the place all to Autumn.

She dumps her bag next to her desk and peels off her uniform in exchange for some sweatpants and a tank top. Taking a seat at her desk, she opens up her laptop and gives it time to warm up. From her bag, she pulls the information on the paper due next week.

Simple enough: the basics of coordinating and the aspects of it as well as its place on the social ladder. She's read up on this stuff since before her lessons with Juan and has heard it enough times before to type as she thinks.

An hour later, Harper comes back to see Autumn sitting in the corner behind the open door in her bean bag chair reading from her fashion textbook. The brunette snickers and lets the door swing shut. Autumn jumps at the sound and glances up to see Harper giving her a scrutinizing look.

"What?"

"Are you _studying_?" she says the word with disgust, scrunching her nose and sticking out her tongue.

"Yeah, I'm bored," Autumn shrugs as if it weren't something so taboo.

"That's gross, it's only day one!" Harper replies, tossing her bag at her bed. It thumps to the ground where it will be left until the next day. Meanwhile, the brunette grabs some popcorn from the counter under the window and tosses it into the microwave. "You look glum. No friends?"

"Nope," the blonde replies, popping the 'p' for effect.

"Rough," she grunts, shedding her clothes and changing into leggings and an oversized t shirt. "How about a movie night? I just got a rental on a chick flick and am in need of a good laugh."

Looking up, Autumn wonders if Harper is serious. The smell of buttery popcorn fills her nostrils, and she can't resist the temptation. It's a nice offer, anyway, she'd take it regardless of her mood.

"Sure."

Harper smiles at Autumn, it brightens her face and removes the sharp features that usually make Autumn nervous to speak to her. It makes her look younger as well, and Autumn wonders if she'll ever see this smile again.

"I'll pop in the movie and shut off the lights... Get rid of that damn book!"

Smiling to herself at the familiar way they're acting only after a day, Autumn obeys the command and settles back into her chair. Harper grabs the popcorn and empties it into a bowl, setting it down by Autumn before putting in the movie and hitting the lights. The last bits of daylight pour into the room as the movie slowly begins. The two sit and relax.

Autumn lets her mind wander away from the day, forcing herself not to think too hard about a strategy to pull in friends. She believes that if it's meant to happen it will, and hopefully faster than the rate it's going now. Sitting with Harper gives her hope for the next few weeks, she even feels silly for considering giving up.

She'll be fine, and in no time, she'll have the friends she's always wanted.


End file.
